But Do I HAVE to go to the GYM?

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Replies

  • Swiftlet66
    Swiftlet66 Posts: 729 Member
    I walk, bike and run outside. No gym membership needed and plus, I don't really like being in a contained room when I exercise. It feels like I'm going no where when I'm on the treadmill or stationary bicycle. :x Occasionally, I'll do some aerobics videos at home but that's kinda boring too for me.
  • PrissyPisces
    PrissyPisces Posts: 117 Member
    I walk, bike and run outside. No gym membership needed and plus, I don't really like being in a contained room when I exercise. It feels like I'm going no where when I'm on the treadmill or stationary bicycle. :x Occasionally, I'll do some aerobics videos at home but that's kinda boring too for me.

    I agree. It does get kind of boring after a while. I'd prefer to have a treadmill or bike, so that I can listen to music while I workout. That'll take my mind off of the "burning" sensation. :laugh:
  • PrissyPisces
    PrissyPisces Posts: 117 Member
    hasfit.com FREE WORKOUTS! :)

    Thank you!
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
    I've lost 8lbs (11lbs total, but 3lbs was water) by just reducing my intake and walking. I am starting to incorporate body weigh exercises like pushups, squats, lunges and planks into my daily routine now too, and would also like to incorporate some sprinting, but one thing at a time :) Gym definitely not necessary, and to be honest I've used the gym in the past, but these days I like being outdoors when I'm active, and also like the idea of having a set of fitness activities I can do anywhere, with no specialist equipment :)

    Nerdfitness.com has some body weight routines which look good, and should satisfy the need for some resistance exercising as part of your weight loss programme.
  • YamaMaya1
    YamaMaya1 Posts: 49 Member
    A list of free youtube workouts channels:
    Fitnessblender
    BeFit
    KymNonstop
    Jillian Michaels

    Enjoy :)
  • Shimmysista
    Shimmysista Posts: 75 Member
    I've lost 70 pounds and haven't stepped foot in the gym. I dance and work out in my computer room :D ( hand weights, dvds, you tube videos, a pilates ball, step ladder and an elliptical is all the tools i have used :D Outside the home i walk, bike and go to dance classes once a week
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
    I never went to a gym. I started with a few workout dvds, worked my way up to a few dumbbells, now I have a weight bench and a barbell (thanks to a generous xmas gift card from my bosses) and my dumbbells go up to 40lbs. I'll admit I'm fortunate to have an extra room for all this stuff.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Walking was my primary exercise/workout for the loss of my first 50+ pounds. Walking and a 400-500calorie daily deficit. Now that I'm closer to my goal, I am switching gears to strength training, weight lifting and flexibility exercises - at the gym.
  • JensRiot
    JensRiot Posts: 24 Member
    I've lost almost 30 pounds since Christmas without the gym. I have a couple DVDs, a step, and a little step machine I bought at Target. I also have some hand weights. I'm at a point now though, that I either should join a gym or invest in home weights. That's because I want to get stronger though, and not for additional weight loss.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I haven't been a gym in decades! :bigsmile:

    Calorie deficit to lose weight.
    Exercise for fitness.

    They compliment each other, but you can lose weight without exercise by maintaining a calorie deficit.

    There are plenty of home workouts you can do, with or without equipment. DVDs, books, websites & online videos are all options. The library is a great place to check out various DVDs or books before you buy them, or check out FitnessBlender.com - they have heaps of free online vids, and a handy search feature so you can look for the ones that are specific for bodyweight workouts, focused on upper, lower, or total body, yoga, strength, etc. Good stuff.
  • janine2355
    janine2355 Posts: 628 Member
    No, you don't have to go to the gym. About 75% of my weight loss was from calorie reduction. The rest pure running. And I eat back my calories. I have a gym membership, but I have not been for about a year. The gym is great for strength training, access to equipment for recovery, and showers as a hedge for when the power goes out for extended periods of time. But no, you don't need the gym to lose weight. On the contrary, I find its better for gaining weight/strength.

    If you can run, swim, or bike, those seem to be the fastest ways to lose weight. Otherwise, walking helps but it will take a very long time in comparison, and I wouldn't advise eating back exercise calories from walking, unless its actually hiking (with hills, for hours, in a park).

    I agree, although, I definitely see a difference in my body and weight from power walking. I have recently incorported jogging, but the walking does help. I think it depends on how out of shape you were when you started MFP and how much you want to loose. I wan't in that bad of shape so the walking just kicked it up a notch.
  • phoenixx866
    phoenixx866 Posts: 173 Member
    Yep. I don't have a gym membership and I'm losing.

    My grandmother at one point when I was a child lost over 70 lbs. She never set foot in a gym.

    She loved her Richard Simmons VHS's and she would walk whenever she could. She would walk to a nearby high school that would have a track and would run a few miles while I played on the nearby jungle gym.

    I have 1 Richard Simmons DVD and a few Jillian Michaels DVDs (but she normally kicks my behind so I don't do hers just yet). I also look on YouTube for Zumba and other fitness videos -- it's all right there on YouTube! Also check your local library for fitness DVD's, I'm nearly certain they'll have some.

    Your best method of exercise is your own two feet. Go out and go for a walk, go for a run. If you have a smart phone, I can think of two amazing apps off the top of my head -- Zombies, RUN! and Couch Potato to 5K. If you have stairs in your home, go up and down them. You can do squats, sit ups, push ups, etc.

    There's always a way to do it!
  • daedalus01
    daedalus01 Posts: 44 Member
    I lost 170lb working out from home. You can do any form of cardio from home, staircase sprints are my new thing. Weight lifting on the other hands, invest in dumbbells, barbell & a squat rack.
  • SuzieQNutter
    SuzieQNutter Posts: 6 Member
    It is possible

    I cut out fruit juice and cordial and drank water instead - I don't drink alcohol or coffee or tea anyway.

    I changed thick shakes to smoothies - a thick shake put me up 2 kg and took my 3 weeks to get off. I had smoothies every week and went down.

    I changed soft drink to water - this was the hardest as the miser in me didn't want to pay for water. I had to make myself do it.

    I swapped bread for vitawheat - only every day for work, I didn't give up bread. If I eat bread I prefer multigrain brown bread

    I swapped icecream for yoghurt - ice cream is very fattening for me.

    I swapped full fat milk for low fat - full fat milk is very fattening for me.

    I cut out sugar where I can.

    I started a desk job and was sitting from 8am to 5pm.

    I lost 40 kgs in just over a year, no gym no extra exercise to before losing the weight - less in fact with the sit down job.

    You don't need to join a gym, you can have aerobics videos at home or just walk around and around your clothes line, it is totally up to you.
  • yellowsnowdrop
    yellowsnowdrop Posts: 154 Member
    I'm really sorry but I think that the only way to loose the weight (at least for me anyway) is count your calories (eat less) and go to the gym 3 or 4 times a week doing a mix of weights and cardio.(move more) This is how I've lost 21lbs in 11 weeks so far and how I lost 39lbs last year before I injured my back.
    I walk and walk and walk some more (45 miles in 5 days last week) because I enjoy the treadmill and stick with it, either that or I walk beside the sea for a couple of hours. I honestly NEVER thought that I'd be an exercise junkie but I really enjoy it and I miss it on the days I can't/don't go.
  • GummyBears7779
    GummyBears7779 Posts: 35 Member
    Nah, just try move more in your day

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